The European country you can walk across in one day (and it's not the Vatican)

This territory, barely 25 kilometres long, is a hidden paradise in the heart of Europe.

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A treasure trove of farms and castles hidden in the middle of Europe.

In the middle of the border between Switzerland and Austria there is a sovereign country of only 160 square km that can be traveled quietly on foot in a few hours.

We're talking about Liechtenstein. Its territory, delimited by the Rhine River, meadows and mountains, is only 25 km long and 12.5 km wide. A perfectly passable surface for anyone accustomed to walking.

Officially called the Principality of Liechtenstein, it is a landlocked country. In fact, together with Uzbekistan, they are the only two countries in the world isolated "twice" from the sea: to reach some coast from Liechtenstein you have to cross at least two national borders. That's how it is hidden.

It is only possible to reach this Mediterranean gem by train, car or bus. The country does not have airports. The nearest are the regional airports of Innsbruck, in Austria, and Engadine, in Switzerland.

Liechtenstein has about 38,000 inhabitants, distributed in municipalities that seem to come from fairy tales. Prairies, crops, farms and barns on a shiny green plain. And there are also castles on cliffs, colorful houses with silf-roofed roofs, squares and bell towers.

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Liechtenstein can only be reached by land.

These landscapes can be explored by walking. Liechtenstein is an ideal place for hiking. Its roads reach 400 km that run through the interior of the country and are maintained by the Alpine Association of Liechtenstein (LAA).

It can also be traveled from end to end by bicycle, along the E43 route that goes parallel to the Rhine and has special lanes for cyclists. There, on each section, there are bridges that function as border crossings with Switzerland. This tour has been pedaling at a quiet pace for about two hours.

Cities to follow the walk

The capital is Vaduz, with 5,000 inhabitants. There is the historic castle of Vaduz, a medieval palace located at the top of the mountain, where the royal family still resides, headed by John Adam II of Liechtenstein.

The city's shopping center has bars, businesses, hotels, churches and art galleries. Also here is the famous Postal Museum, which every year attracts philatelists from all over the world. So much so that the sale of stamps represents one of the largest revenues in the country.

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In addition, in the city of Schaan, already in tune with the landscape that surrounds the country, there is the Ski Museum, which traces the history of sport in one of the most popular areas of the world for this practice.

Liechtenstein, along with Monaco, Andorra, Malta, Vatican and San Marino, are known as the European microstates, small sovereign states recognized by the largest states, and that, in some aspects, depend on them. For example, in the national defense. Liechtenstein does not have armed forces. His defense is in the hands of Switzerland.

Despite being the sixth smallest country in the world, it ranks second in the ranking of GDP per capita. It is a very rich country, possibly because it was a tax haven for decades.

Although German is the official language, its inhabitants speak the so-called Liechtenstein German, and many speak English and French.